Gil Scott-Heron

March 28′s Gil Scott Heron performances have been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 14. We are honoring all tickets originally purchased for the March 28th performances.

Gil Scott-Heron is one of the progenitors of the modern hip-hop movement and one of the most colorful voices of the African American experience. His aggressive yet eloquent street poetry has galvanized countless artists to create new ways to fit words with poetry. An impressive wordsmith and smart songwriter, he has been an intermittent presence on the R&B charts since his seminal single, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” was released in 1970. While his work has often been associated with the black militant movement of that time, the thoughtfulness of his work has transcended the other art of that period.

Heron was born in Chicago, and grew up with his grandmother in Tennessee. As one of three students chosen to integrate a white school in Jackson, TN, Heron was exposed to abuse and discrimination early on, which may have been seeds for inspiration in his writing to come. He moved to New York as a teenager, and started writing in earnest, taking after heroes like Langston Hughes and LeRoi Jones. After a brief stint at Lincoln College in Pennsylvania and the publication of his first novel, The Vulture, Heron met Brian Jackson, who would prove to be a reliable collaborator, and legendary producer Bob Thiele. Thiele set Heron up with a band to record some of his poetry with, and the recording Small Talk at 125th & Lennox, after the book of the same name, was born. The session featured A-list musicians like Ron Carter, Bernard Purdie, and Hubert Laws, and featured the single “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” His next record, Pieces of a Man, expanded his creative range, and featured a more traditional song structure. His music and poetry would resonate throughout the next three decades.

Lately Heron’s career has been derailed by health and legal issues, making his appearances fewer and farther between. When he does speak, there is no denying the sheer weight and throaty resonance of his words. Today one hears his music as samples in other performers’ work, (Tupac Shakur and Common have recorded his music, and “Revolution” has become part of the pop music lexicon) but Heron is still an active writer. He released his first record in 15 years, I’m New Here, to rave reviews this spring.

an insightful interview with Gil at The Daily Swarm

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